August 23, 2023 7:18 am
This article presents the call to action for proactive disclosure of infrastructure project data by the procuring and disposing entities. Over time, the CoST Uganda Programme has continued to conduct evidence-based advocacy for increased disclosure of infrastructure project data to promote transparency and accountability in the infrastructure sector. To achieve this, CoST Uganda has been conducting assurance processes, scoping studies, and an infrastructure transparency index.
The findings from assurance processes and studies, generally indicate an increase in the disclosure of infrastructure project data across the board in the 4th, and 5th assurance processes for the projects that were assured. For the Ministry of Health, there has been a remarkable reversal in the proactive disclosure of infrastructure project data as highlighted in the 5th Assurance process.
The Ministry has been responsive to reactive disclosure and this has incredibly increased its score from 26% in 2020 to 77% in 2021 assurance processes. But it declined on proactive disclosure from 55 in the 2020 assurance process to 50% in 2021 in the 5th Assurance process. There was also a decline in the general performance on disclosure of infrastructure project data from 73% in 2020 to 64% in 2021. Regarding performance of public infrastructure projects, the findings reveal no cost overrun for UgIFT and URMHIP projects except for projects under the East Africa Public Health Laboratories Network Project (EAPHLNP) – Construction of satellite laboratories FY 2019/20 which covers Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara Regional referral hospital, and St Mary’s Lacor Hospital that had cost and time overruns for most projects and low disclosure of infrastructure project data.
This call for action focuses on the need to promote increased proactive and reactive disclosure of infrastructure of project data by the Ministry of Health and the desire to address respective gaps within public infrastructure projects assured. The Performance of the Ministry on proactive disclosure is on reversals since the 4th, and 5th Assurance processes. To achieve this, Ministry is encouraged to consider implementing the recommendations of the 5th Assurance which encourage the Ministry should;-
- Strengthen documentation, archiving, and publication of project and contract information such as project reports, evaluation reports, list of bidders, and audit reports.
- Make efforts to regularly collect and publish proactive data through the E-GP and GPP and other public platforms to promote transparency.
- Fast-track implementation of work schedules, and supervision of the execution of works across all the projects to mitigate cost extension, strengthen compliance
- Strengthen Quality Assurance and Quality control processes and the Ministry is encouraged to put in place a Quality Information Management system that would enable her better monitor and manage the quality processes. The use of Open-air incinerator pits should be replaced with alternative sustainable solutions such as Drum or Brick incinerators.
- Fast-track the development and launch of the Quality Information Management system for infrastructure projects.
- Inspect the construction sites and work with contractors and consultants to identify the snags and rectify them in time to avoid time and cost overruns.
For information, you can access the reports through the website on www.cost.or.ug
